In its latest circular, UGC Secretary Manish Joshi stated that all HEIs must motivate UG, PG, and doctoral students to learn at least one more Indian language. As per the guideline, institutions must offer courses in a minimum of three languages.
- One should be the local language,
- Another may be any of the 22 scheduled Indian languages,
- The third can be the student’s existing language of study.
The UGC further clarified that multiple Indian language courses must be made available through ability enhancement courses, credit courses, or audit courses, ensuring students have flexible learning options.
Part of NEP’s Push for Multilingualism
This move is aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP), which strongly encourages multilingual learning across all levels. However, the directive is expected to draw criticism from the Tamil Nadu government, which has historically opposed the three-language formula. The state has consistently followed a two-language policy (Tamil and English) for nearly six decades and has resisted similar proposals in PM SHRI schools as well.
Courses to Be Offered at Three Levels
UGC has also instructed institutions to design Indian language courses at three proficiency levels:
- Basic
- Intermediate
- Advanced
These courses must include measurable proficiency targets and support credit transfer/portability across universities in accordance with UGC guidelines.
Concerns From Academicians
While the directive aims to promote linguistic diversity, some academicians have expressed concerns about its practicality.
Former University of Madras Vice-Chancellor P. Duraisamy stated that learning an additional Indian language should remain optional, not mandatory. He pointed out that offering multiple Indian languages may pose a challenge due to faculty shortages.
Educators
from engineering colleges echoed similar sentiments. Many institutions
currently offer foreign language courses such as German, Japanese, or
French because they enhance employment opportunities.
They argue that learning an Indian language may not contribute to
employability, and technical institutions are already facing difficulties
in recruiting qualified Tamil language instructors.
